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from J.R. Miller’s Our New Edens–
Parents are the custodians of their children’s lives. If they would meet their responsibility and be able to
look God and their children in the face at the judgment, they must make their homes as nearly ‘gardens of Eden’ as possible.
The way to save your children from the temptations of the streets–is to make your home so bright, so sweet, so beautiful, so happy, so full of love, joy and prayer–that the streets will have no attractiveness for them–no power to win them away. “Do not be overcome by evil–but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21
The place of the home-life among the influences which mold and shape character, is supreme in its importance. Our children are given to us in tender infancy–to teach them and train them for holy, worthy, beautiful living.
It is not enough to have an opulent house to live in! It is not enough to have fine foods, and luxurious furniture, and expensive entertainments! Most of the world’s worthiest men and women, those who have blessed the world the most–were brought up in plain homes, without any luxury!
It is the tone of the home-life, that is important. We should make it pure, elevating, refining, inspiring. The books we bring in, the papers and magazines, the guests we have at our tables and admit to our firesides, the home conversation, the pictures we hang on our walls–all these are educational. As in everything, LOVE is the great master-secret of home happiness.
The religious influences are also vitally important. In that first ‘garden home’, the Lord came and went as a familiar friend. Christ must be our guest–if our home is to be a fit place either for our children or for ourselves. If there is no sincere prayer in it, it is not a true home at all–it is only a heathen lodging-place!
How can we make ‘new Edens’ of our homes? What are some of the secrets of home happiness? I might gather them all into one word and say–CHRIST! If we have Christ as our guest–our home will be happy! He must be welcomed into all our life. He must be in each heart. He must sit at our tables and mingle with us in all our family interaction. Christ can bless our home, only through the lives of those who make the home 
circle.
Make your home so sweet, so heavenly, with love and prayer and song and holy living–that all through it, there shall be the fragrance of the heart of Christ!
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HT: Grace Gems
“Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side. After leaving them, He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o’clock in the morning He came to them, walking on the water.”
Mark 6:45, 46, 48
Jesus did not come immediately; indeed, it was almost morning when He came, and the disciples had been struggling all night in the storm. Yet He had not been indifferent to them meanwhile. From the mountainside where He was praying–He kept His eye upon them. “He saw that they were in serious trouble.” All that dark night, He kept a watch upon that little boat that bore His disciples in the midst of the waves.
There is something very suggestive in the narrative. This ‘boat in the storm’, is a picture of ‘Christ’s friends in this world, in the storms of life’. Sometimes we think we are forgotten–but from His place in glory, Christ’s eye is always on us! He sees us struggling, battling with the waves, beaten, and distressed. He has full sympathy with us in all our struggles. It ought to be a great strength and comfort to us in trial, to know this. Jesus intercedes for us in our distresses!
It may not be best always to deliver us immediately–but His prayer continually ascends, that our faith may not fail in the struggle. This also should encourage us.
Then, He always comes in time. He may delay long–but it is never too long. If we call upon Him in trouble–we may be sure that He hears and sees us, and knows just how hard it is for us to endure; that He prays for us that we may not fail, and that He will come at the right time for our deliverance
~J. R. Miller, “Miller’s Year Book–a Year’s Daily Readings”
HT: Grace Gems
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Non-Christians cannot understand the Bible.
A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them.
1 Corinthians 2:14
The reason we have any understanding at all of God’s word is because the Holy Spirit, living in us, discloses His truth to us (John 16:13). The natural man, or unsaved man/woman, does not have the Spirit of God living inside and therefore has no spiritual discernment or understanding.
“…whenever Moses (scripture) is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a man turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.”
2 Corinthians 3:15,16
“…the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things.”
John 14:26
So, when you see a non-Christian trying to figure out the Bible, or eternal things, realize they CAN’T understand what you know.
”And the Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.”
2 Timothy 2:24-26
From Good Morning, LORD!
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See a related story Witnessing to a Unitarian Universalist.
Psalm 148
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his hosts!
3 Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars!
4 Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord!
For he commanded and they were created.
6 And he established them forever and ever;
he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all deeps,
8 fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy wind fulfilling his word!
9 Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
10 Beasts and all livestock,
creeping things and flying birds!
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
12 Young men and maidens together,
old men and children!
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his majesty is above earth and heaven.
14 He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his saints,
for the people of Israel who are near to him.
Praise the Lord!
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This true story, shared by Dr. Bob Griffin of Grif.Net, illustrates a pitiful view of Christ’s atoning blood that many hold today. I intend to ponder this one long and hard.
One night in a church service a young woman felt the tug of God at her
heart. She responded to God’s call and accepted Jesus as her Lord and
Savior. The young woman had a very rough past, involving alcohol, drugs, and
prostitution. But, the change in her was evident.As time went on she became a faithful member of the church. She eventually
became involved in the ministry, teaching young children.It was not very long until this faithful young woman had caught the eye and
heart of the pastor’s son. The relationship grew and they began to make
wedding plans. This is when the problems began.You see, about one half of the church did not think that a woman with a past
such as hers was suitable for a pastor’s son. The church began to argue and
fight about the matter. So they decided to have a meeting. As the people
made their arguments and tensions increased, the meeting was getting
completely out of hand.The young woman became very upset about all the things being brought up
about her past. As she began to cry, the pastor’s son stood to speak. He
could not bear the pain it was causing his wife-to-be. He began to speak and
his statement was this:“My fiance’s past is not what is on trial here. What you are questioning is
the ability of the blood of Jesus to wash away sin. Today you have put the
blood of Jesus on trial. So, does it wash away sin or not?”The whole church fell silent as they realized that they had been slandering
the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise God, the blood DOES wash away
all sin!
“And I will establish My covenant with you. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, that you may remember and be ashamed, and never open your mouth anymore because of your shame, when I provide you an atonement for all you have done, says the LORD God.” Ezekiel 16:6-63
“In Him, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace…” Ephesians 1:7
“Cast your burden on the Lord–and He will sustain you.”
Psalm 55:21
Cast your troubles where you have cast your sins; you have cast your sins onto Jesus–cast your troubles there also! As soon as the
trouble comes, quick, the first thing, tell it to your Father in heaven! Remember, that the longer you take telling your trouble to God–the more your peace will be impaired. The longer the frost lasts–the more likely the ponds will be frozen.
Oh! It is a happy way of smoothing sorrow, when we can cast our burden upon the Lord. Oh, you agitated Christians, do not dishonor your religion by always wearing a ‘frown of concern’. Come, cast your burden upon the Lord. I see you staggering beneath a weight, which He would not feel. What seems to you a crushing burden–would be nothing but a bit of dust to Him. See! The Almighty bends His shoulders, and He says, “Here–put your troubles here!”
“Cast all your cares upon Him–because He cares about you!”
1 Peter 5:7
~Charles Spurgeon quoted on Grace Gems
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“I hate vain thoughts–but I love Your law!” Psalm 119:113
“Many of you know more about your magazines and novels–than what God has written! Many of you will read a novel from the beginning to the end, and what have you got? A head full of froth when you are done! But you cannot read the Bible–that solid, lasting, substantial, and satisfying food goes uneaten, locked up in the cupboard of neglect–while anything that man writes, a best-seller of the day–you greedily devour!” ~Charles Spurgeon
“Set your minds on things above–not on earthly things!” Colossians 3:2
from Grace Gems
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“Ah! believer, it is safer always for you to be led of the Spirit into gospel liberty than to wear legal fetters. Judge yourself at what Christ is rather than what you are. Satan will try to mar your peace by reminding you of your sinfulness and imperfections: you can only meet his accusations by faithfully adhering to the Gospel and refusing to wear the yoke of bondage.”
--Charles Spurgeon (Morning & Evening, September 6)
HT: Of First Importance
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“For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory!”
2 Corinthians 4:17
Oh Christians! under your greatest troubles–lie your greatest treasures!
“It is good for me to be afflicted–that I might learn Your statutes!”
Psalm 119:71
By the greatest affliction–God teaches us the greatest instruction. When a believer lies under God’s hand which afflicts him–he lies in God’s heart which loves him!
Afflictions are good–but not pleasant.
Sin is pleasant–but not good.
There is more evil in a drop of sin–than there is in a sea of afflictions!
God by affliction, separates the sin He hates so deadly–from the soul He loves so dearly!
The believer studies more how to adorn the cross–than how to avoid the cross! Tell me, oh believer, is not Christ with His cross–better than the world with its crown?
“God disciplines us for our good–that we may share in His holiness.” Hebrews 12:10
Suppose, Christian, that the furnace is hot, seven times hotter–it is but to make you seven times more holy! Fiery trials–make golden Christians! Sin has brought many a believer unto suffering–and suffering has kept many a believer from sinning! It is better to be preserved in brine–than to rot in honey!
“I know, O Lord, that Your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness You have afflicted me!”
Psalm 119:75
–William Dyer “Christ’s Famous Titles”–
from Grace Gems
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To bless God for mercies–is the way to increase them; 
to bless Him for miseries–is the way to remove them.
Christ uncrowned Himself–to crown us!
He put off His robes–to put on our rags!
He came down from heaven–to keep us out of hell!
He fasted forty days–that He might feast us to all eternity!
He came from heaven to earth–that He might send us from earth to heaven!
There is no going to the fair haven of glory–without
sailing through the narrow strait of repentance.
by William Dyer
HT: Grace Gems
